Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Thrills and Spills


Thrills and Spills


The triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) was exciting as a spectator sport, especially as two Yorkshire brothers- Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee were meant to do well.
The temperature was low enough to make wet suits obligatory – this is a help to the weaker swimmers apparently.  The camera work – sometimes from a helicopter, was amazing and at times the Serpentine seemed aswarm with strange fish.  Elbows were akimbo as the swimmers rounded the buoys but all the swimmers made it safely to the transition area.


Here they had to shed their wet suits, don their cycling shoes and pick up their cycles.  Unfortunately we learned later in the race that Jonathan Brownlee had mounted his cycle a fraction before he should have done and had to pay a forfeit of 15 seconds during the final run.


Early in the cycle race there was a disaster when two or three cyclists ended up on the tarmac.  We never did hear the reason for it.  A similar thing had happened in the women’s triathlon but then the roads had been wet and greasy.


It was a pleasure watching the cycle and run laps as they passed again and again round the most beautiful parts of London and it was a great way to orient oneself.


The Brownlee brothers were strongly supported by Stuart Hayes - the third man who sacrifices his chances of a medal to support them.  After Jonathan had paid his penalty he was lucky to win the bronze but Alistair came up to expectations and easily gained gold.  The silver was won by the Spanish athlete Javier Gomez.

 So far my favourite pin –up in the Games is the sailor Ben Ainslie.  Think Jon Hamm of Mad Men in a wet suit

See photos below.

21 comments:

The Unbearable Banishment said...

I was only mildly interested in the Olympics before they started but the opening ceremony hooked me in. It did its job. I wish the U.S. and China wouldn't win so many medals. I believe it sharing the joy. It's as though they're the children of two wealthy, privileged parents who had the best training money can buy. They're the Olympic bullies. But GB is doing well. I'm glad to see that.

Pat said...

UB: I'm amazed - we are third. But who's counting:) We are so little in comparison.
Our excuse used to be that the Yanks lived off steaks whilst we were rationed during the war but that's nonsense. Isn't it?

Unknown said...

Great result!

angryparsnip said...

I must say I am not a huge Olympic watcher but I love the events that not so many people even know about or watch.
As a citizen living in America I believe everyone has a right to say what they want but....
What a bunch of hogwash for UB to say we are privilege bullies. It is not like the US supports the athletes like China or the old Easter European block. Check out the Woman High Jumper who works in a awful cold drafty old building day in day out and in no way state of the art training.
We here in Tucson have two long distance runners, both LEGAL immigrants who came to America to try for a better life. One of the runners you can see just running around the area I live in. On the road running every day. Summer heat winter rain and freezing weather...
The Woman American Gold medal shooter went to all different kinds of shooting ranges where the weather would be bad so she could be ale to shoot in London weather if it became bad and it did. She did this on her own. So her hard work should be tossed aside ?
Not saying that I don't love when a smaller country wins in fact I love it. Make me so happy. Look at the women runners dressed in full clothing from countries that they have been oppressed and killed by MEN and RELIGION running for themselves and the Women of their country. Not one Gold but so much more.
Yes the US wins more but we have a bigger pool of people to chose from. And if UB doesn't think that some of these parents don't sacrifice for their child's dream...
The Shot Putter (?) is poor and broke... he works hard for his dream.
There is nothing privileged for many of the US team. Some yes but not all.
It is this the East Coast intelligentsia and privileged way of thinking that we here in the southwest border states are sick of.
Just saying... my thoughts count too.
Idea...
Don't like the medal count ? don't watch or better yet adopt an athlete from a small country and send money.

cheers, parsnip
Go London Olympics, your doing great ! Love the view of the places I would love to visit !

About Last Weekend said...

OOH now I have to see more pics of The Hamm in a wet suit, what a great visual!

Pat said...

Parsnip: I'm glad that readers feel free to say what they think - within reason. I don't think anybody in their right mind would think that any Olynpic contestant has got there without blood, sweat and tears - which ever side of the tracks they come from. To devote years of their lives striving to reach what is an almost impossible goal for most of them, is heroic.
I watched a New Zealander today get bashed on the head with a hockey stick - blood everywhere and after about ten minutes medical treatment she was back - her head completely covered in bandages. So brave.

Pat said...

ALW: ideally with a sailing boat too:)

Pat said...

John: good - you watched it too:)

Mage said...

Like you, I've been fascinated by the Olympics. the Triathlon is one of the hardest struggles I can think of. I used to try to time the first winner of the Ironman here, and I've always been fascinated.

Yesterday's beach volleyball caught my eye. With the local news reporting that the favorite team trounced the other, it was hard to watch both teams fight it all pay out. At least my favorites won.

Pat said...

Mage: my son told me today that the Brownlee bros have a younger 16 year old brother who plays rugby and thinks Triathlon is for wimps. I said I hope he has more brawn then his bros and was told he is a prop - very able to take care of himself - especially with his brothers.

Unknown said...

"Past Imperfect" has been included in the Sites To See for this week. I hope this helps to point many new visitors in your direction.

http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2012/08/sites-to-see_10.html

Pat said...

Jerry: thank you somuch forincluding me in Sites to See. It's very kind of you.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Sometimes I think that something's wrong with me. [eek confession here]. I've never been keen on sports. But I totally enjoyed watching my nephews in Florida play football, or as they say in the US, soccer.

I do so like to watch people having fun, getting fired up, performing brave acts.

I've watched the news, on and off, and cheered for those who won, and felt sad for those who lost.

I can't wait to watch the concert tomorrow!! I wonder if The Who will perform. And Adele.

Speaking of pin-up...ahem...Ryan Lochte is quite nice on the eyes
:-)

Vagabonde said...

I was lucky to watch biking event on TV from the Olympic Games. I enjoy watching some of it but here, in the evening, if there are no American athletes participating they sometimes show an interview with an athlete rather than showing an event that does not have many fans (like judo, etc.)
I understand that for some small countries it is difficult to see the US with so many medals. In a way I wish they would do it more fairly – for example, they could have the games for “Europe” instead of each country to be against China and the USA. But that would make European countries mad. But then, when you consider that California is almost the same size of Sweden or Morocco, maybe they should have the games, for example, Western US, Eastern US, etc. How can any small country compete with such a huge country as the US. It is like a 3 ft midget fighting against a 7 ft giant. When you think that the economy of California is larger than Spain and about 90% of Italy, then California should go to the games as a separate state – just think it would be fairer all around. I lived in both California and Georgia – and to me they are like different countries, that’s for sure!

Pat said...

GG: I believe George Michael - I like his music, and the Spice girls which will be interesting- to see how they have weathered.
I thik aftertomorrow I'lbeready togo backto a bit of drama on TV.
I had to google Ryan and yes it wax worth it:)

Vagabonde: I feel delighted with the medals we have won and it doesn't worry me if China and US have more. I feel real elation when I see - for instance - the three Jamaican runners who are such superb athletes.
On the whole it has been a great eperience and I'm so glad we've pulled it off.

Marjolein said...

I only saw the finish of that race. Looks like hard work though! I watch so much more tv now with the Olympics going on, but then again there's always something interesting to watch.

rashbre said...

I agree its been an enthralling couple of weeks with plenty of good sport against some amazing backdrops.

I was along at the Olympic Park too and the crowd noise from the various stadiums erupted every few minutes - quite something to behold.

Pat said...

Marjlein: I'm going to miss it.

Pat said...

Rashbre: I thought you would be there. I envy you:)

PixieMum said...

Stuart Hayes went to the same primary school as our two. his sister Charlotte was in same class as my son, younger brother in same class as daughter. All three won all the races at school, they were pleasant kids too.

Pat said...

PixieMum: I thought he did a brilliant job. How nice that you know him.